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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Your Grocery Budget on a Diet!

Everywhere you turn all you hear about is budget cuts. As each of us struggle to trim our spending the grocery list is a good place to start. We all have to eat, it's a living expense we can't get around. It just seems the like the healthier the food the more expensive it is. There are so many recipes out there for turning cheap cuts of beef or pork into a sinfully rich meal. Truthfully many of the "cheaper" cuts are not as lean. So you may be saving dollars upfront while packing on the pounds later.Feel like you can't win? Think again, I'm going to share a few simple strategies to get you healthy groceries at a better price.

Buy products when they're in season. During the winter try harvest fruits such as apples, pears and butternut squash for a healthy dose of nutrition and flavor.

Do your own slicing and dicing. Purchase chicken breast whole and on the bone- slice it up when you get home. Seriously you can save up to $4 per pound on this one. Same goes for beef, fish or pork-slice the meat yourself you'll be able to afford a better cut at a lower price.

Legumes- try beefing up the protein on your favorite dish by tossing in beans while adding some mass to your meal. Sautee a chopped onion, add in a can of your favorite bean, then mix with some leftover rice for whole new dinner.

Make it yourself. Now, that applies to eveything from chicken stock to chicken tenders. Prepackaged items cost more and can be filled with preservatives. I mean I don't feel bad about eating a dozen fresh baked chocolate chip cookies- they're all natural right!!!

Chef Jen DePalma Winner of Rocco's Dinner Party, Season 1

Get to Know Jen DePalma

I'm a born and bred New Yorker, cooking is my passion and I love sharing it with the world. Trained at The French Culinary Institute, Freelance as a Personal Chef,C.U.N.Y. Adjunct,Blogger and Ultimate Foodie